Many people desire careers holding heavy prestige – doctors, investment bankers, engineers – but lack the drive and perseverance to make it that far. Some incur health issues, have family members die, among a slew of other legitimate reasons why most people don’t climb to the most prestigious, difficult jobs in our modern world.

Imran Haque is a medical doctor practicing in the United States that spent eight years in undergraduate and medical school, then used three additional years of his early life in a residential program in the Southeast to earn licensure to practice internal medicine.

Dr. Haque graduated from the Dominican medical school Universidad Iberoamericana in 1998 with honors. He then moved to the University of Virginia to pursue a residency in internal medicine. While serving the rural areas of hilly Virginia, Haque found his love for treating patients hailing from rural regions, often lacking enough resources to seek out medical care when experiencing both acute and chronic health conditions.

Seen as an outstanding physician by virtually every patient he’s tended to, Dr. Haque is quite popular throughout rural, central North Carolina, where he both practices medicine and resides. Haque underwent an interview during the first week of October, just over two weeks ago. Here are some paraphrases of some notable quotes Dr. Haque said throughout the interview, conducted by website IdeaMensch.

Horizon Internal Medicine was founded by Dr. Haque just months after he began practicing at a hospital in the Tar Heel state in 2001. He reported he got the idea for Horizon Internal Medicine during medical school and residency, when he realized many American citizens aren’t privileged to health care most of them so desperately need.

Haque shared how he became successful in Asheboro, Ramseur, and surrounding areas as a physician – “[it] requires hard work, diligence, thorough research, and financial means.” Not to say that if everyone tried hard enough, all 7 billion inhabitants of planet earth would be licensed physicians – it’s one of many ingredients to baking up success.

Dr. Haque also said he looked up to Barack Obama for his “calm demeanor” during times of crisis.